Sodom and Gomorah

andAbraham And Lot

Abraham and Lot lived together on the same land and they both had flocks and herds. Lot was Abraham's nephew.

As their flocks and herds increased it became overcrowded, and there was fighting among their herdsmen.

Abraham decided it was time to separate. He told Lot to choose which way he wanted to go and he would go in the opposite direction. Lot choose to go to the plain of Jordan near Sodom and Gomorah -

Genesis 13:10-12 King James Version (KJV)

10. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

11. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Lot saw the beauty of the land, but he didn’t consider the evil of the land; he had his tent face a city filled with evil. He was blinded by the beauty of Sodom and Gomorah - what a view!

The bible says the people in Sodom and Gomorah wicked and sinful –

Genesis 13:13 King James Version (KJV)

13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Jude 1:7 King James Version (KJV)

7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh…

Genesis 18:20-21 King James Version (KJV)

20. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

21. I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

The Lord Reveals His Plan For Sodom and Gomorah

The Lord and 2 angels visited Abraham. The Lord and His angels were on their way to Sodom and Gomorah. The Lord revealed to Abraham what He was planning to do. Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy the righteous with the wicked, because Lot was in Sodom.

Genesis 18:22-23 King James Version (KJV)

22. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy the city if 50 righteous could be found.

Genesis 18:23-26, 32-33 King James Version (KJV)

23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24. Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26. And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes....

Abraham was then bold enough to negotiate the number with the Lord from 50 down to 45, to 30, to 20, and finally to 10.

32. And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Sodom and GomorahWhen the 2 angels got to Sodom Lot saw them and invited them into his house. Not only was Lot being hospitable he knew it wasn’t safe to be in the streets.

Note that Lot has moved from having his tent facing the city to living inside the city. Evil can be so attractive as to draw us in to it. Observe it long enough and it will appear normal to us.

Genesis 19:1-5 King James Version (KJV)

1. And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

2. And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

3. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

4. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5. And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

Lot tries to plead with the men not to be wicked, but they accuse him of judging them and threaten him. The angels had to save Lot.

Genesis 19:6-7, 9-11 King James Version (KJV)

6. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7. And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

9. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

10. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

11. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

The men of Sodom were so determined in their wickedness that blindness couldn’t even stop them from their evil plan. They were so intent on doing evil that they were not concerned or alarmed that they could not see.

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorah
Ten righteous people could not be found in Sodom, Lot tried to warn his sons-in-law, but they didn't believe him.

Genesis 19:15-16 King James Version (KJV)

15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

16. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

God rains down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorah -

Only 3 people were saved. Four left the city, but Lot's wife's heart was still in Sodom and she looked back at Sodom and was turned into a pillar of salt. Only Lot and his unmarried daughters were saved.

Genesis 19:24-26 King James Version (KJV)

24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Let us not be overcome with evil like the people in Sodom and Gomorah. We must guard the avenues of our soul. Guard what you see (eyes) and what you hear (ears), so that evil does not become acceptable. Decide if something is good or evil by the word of God and not by your own opinions.